I can't deny that it's amazing to get lost in the streets of Prague but I'm proud of New Hampshire... I have to admit that I've missed the fall foliage especially. So, when my newfound friend Lukas invited me to his hometown of Liberec for the weekend I gladly accepted.

Liberec is about an hour north of Prague, resting below the boarder where Germany and Poland meet. The plan was to catch a bus and spend the weekend at a birthday bash for a couple of Lukas' friends. I was impressed by the town; much smaller and less frantic than Prague. Martin met us in the town square overlooked by an incredible cathedral and we were off to his weekend home. It's worth mentioning that many Czech's have a deep appreciation of nature and it's not uncommon for families to own cottages where they escape the cities during the weekend. As we wound through the switchbacks of nearby mountains, Liberec became a sea of winking lights below

Once we arrived I was introduced to several friends (whose names I tried my best to remember.) The atmosphere was really chill... an older house, food, drink, lots of great conversation, and a couple turntables which kept the music in steady rotation. The cellar (which looked like an ideal place to store wine) was an amazing little spot to chill and chat.

The next morning after a hearty breakfast we hiked up to a large reservoir; the source of drinking water for the town. Golds and oranges of autumn and the smell of wood-stove fires burning brought me back to what I'd been missing.

Also worth mentioning, Halloween isn't usually celebrated in the Czech Republic but Martin, Pavel and the gang put on a costume party which easily held its own against those I've been to in the States. It was an unexpected treat to see everyone dressed for the occasion. Unfortunately I didn't get many pics, but the hospitality and conversation ensured that the night will be fresh in my mind for quite some time.